Breathe Again
by Duchess DiamondRayne
Summary: Wealthy and beautiful, Mac Mackenzie becomes friends with fellow billionaire Bruce Wayne. When her father falls ill, Mac has to take over the family's business, and also learns that danger is lurking in the shadows.


The Mackenzie Estate has been rumored to being a very quiet and lonesome place, and especially been named worst than a mausoleum. But over the years it has been loosen from its ridicule, and even actually looks normal contrast to its enormous size, but never the less its been called home.

Like seven o'clock every morning, sunlight burst through the house and a certain sweaty individual comes into the kitchen.

"Hey Niles!" Coming in and taking a seat at the island in the middle of the large kitchen.

"Good morning Ms. Mackenzie. I see that you took the longer trail this morning." Referring to her return from the front instead from the back entrance.

"I woke up with a burst of energy this morning..." She replied excitedly. "...that I almost forced dad to come with me."

"Heaven forbid" He said in a serious sarcastic tone.

"Anyways..." He passes her a bottle of water "...is dad up yet?"

"Actually, he was up right after you left this morning." She gives him a weird look.

"Dad...up early?" She force out a breath that might as well said _Yeah right._

"I know, but he received an important phone call this morning." She nods at his explanation. "Are you going to have breakfast before you leave for the office?"

"Can I have one of those blueberry waffles I love so much?" She bats her eyes as he lets out a chuckle.

"Of course you can." She hops of the stool in glee, and heads out the kitchen.

"I'm going to see Dad before I get ready."

Walking down the large hall towards the southwest of the estate, she goes to the last room on the right. Opening one of the large double doors, she walks into the large office and sees her father sitting at the desk hanging up the phone. He looks up and gives a faint smile, "Good morning Precious." She walks around the desk and place her arms around him, and plants a kiss on his cheek.

"Morning Daddy." She place her cheek upon his "Who's got you so stress this time in the morning?"

"Don't worry about it Precious. Just some business that I needed to handle." She stands up straight.

"You want some help?" He snaps his green eyes at her.

"No need little one, I got it all under control." She smirks at him.

"The Mackenzie way of saying butt out." He rubs his bald head, and stands up from his desk.

"You're too smart for your own good." They both laugh.

"Of course dad... I'm McKenna-Jasmine Mackenzie...Mac for short of course." She shrugs her shoulder.

* * *

Mac Mackenzie is far from the typical rich girl. Daughter of billionaire Edward Mackenzie, Chairman and CEO of Mackenzie Industries. He worked hard from the age of nineteen, to build his father's management company into a multi-billion dollar company around the world. 

Edward in his twenties, took a trip to England for a mini vacation where he met a Lily Ashton. In a matter of weeks they fell in love, and quickly got married. Not knowing that Lily came from a very wealthy family, together they build a very powerful business empire, and when life couldn't get any better...they had a child. A daughter named McKenna-Jasmine, McKenna from his mother, and Jasmine from her mother.

Raising Mac was what Edward and Lily wanted in their lives, and the fact that they can leave a legacy for her was overwhelming. But that was cut short when Mac was ten years old, her mother died tragically in a plane crash. Edward was in mourning and Mac took it hard, the only woman figure in her life and she was gone. Her father and Niles Chaplin and Englishman who is also the family's butler, decided to give the best of everything to her and making the woman that she is today...A force to be reckoned with.

* * *

Arriving at Mackenzie Tower, Mac was already bombarded with work. Being CFO of Mackenzie Industries, she has to show people she got this job because she is smart and clever, not because she's the boss' daughter. 

Walking into her office that was four floors below from her father's, her secretary was tailing behind her. "You have a meeting in the hour with the Export Shipping Director, about the surplus they have floating around. Then you have a meeting with the Board, and then you have a lunch appointment with Shelby Jackson." She looks on her secretary oddly.

"Who?" She skims through piles of files on her desk.

"The Senior Director of Edustries Ms. Mackenzie."

"Why would I want to have lunch with that eccentric?"

"Because you are going to her black-tie ball for the annual ladies auction."

"Jennifer, I never go to those things. I just write her a check like I always do." She takes off her pants suit jacket, leaving her in her lavender silk blouse.

"But you promised her you will go this time, and you will even bid on a bachelor."

"I didn't?" Jennifer nods.

"You did." Sitting there in unbelievable shock, her phone rings and she quickly answers. "Mac Mackenzie."

"I just got off the phone with Shelby Jackson."

_Dang it_

"Really Dad?" Jennifer quietly leaves the office.

"She told me that you were finally going to the Edustries Black-Tie Event."

"I can't go dad." She rushes out.

"Why not?" Her eyes scans the desk, and came with an excuse.

"I have a lot of work to catch up on."

"Nice work Precious, but you're going." _DANG IT!_

"You rarely go out." _Here we go again_

"I'm going...I'm going! Anything from you giving me this speech again." She could here the proud laugh on the other end. "Don't act like you've won the war."

"As I love to stay and bicker with you, but I have a meeting with Lucius Fox."

"Lucius Fox, CEO of Wayne Enterprises?"

"Same one. We have pulmonary ideas for a project we want to do together."

"So you are the reason for the sudden increase in paper work."

"See you later Precious." She laugh.

"Okay dad...love you."

"Love you too."

* * *

Now she knew why her father went bald...these people will drive you mad. Meeting with the export director instead of taking one hour, they took two! And the Board were as boring as ever. They wanted to know how to make the future face of Mackenzie Industries the hottest commodity, can you say disgusting. She doesn't even want to go over Shelby Jackson lunch meeting. 

The elevator door opens and stepping out she comes across a familiar face. "Abigail, is my dad busy?" She stands in front of the desk of the thirty something blonde.

"For you Mac...never. Go right on in." Heading down the hall to the last door on the left, she opens the door and walks straight in.

"Mac, what are you doing up here?" She walks over to his desk and opens his briefcase.

"I'm just checking something dad."

"Mr. Mackenzie, your two o'clock is here." He presses the speaker button.

"Send him in."

"Another meeting dad?"

"Precious, sometimes I wonder if you forget that we're running a company here." She sticks her tongue at him, and the door opens.

"Ah! Bruce Wayne." Edward gets up and walks around the desk to shakes the billionaire's hand.

"Mr. Mackenzie, nice to meet you." Bruce greeted

_AH-HA!!!_

Both men turn their heads to look at the sudden outburst. Mac lifts her head and felt her cheeks get hot. She closes the case, "He had my Blackberry." She walks around the desk, and was heading for the door. "Don't let me interrupt."

"McKenna, don't you want to introduce yourself?" She cringes at the use of her first name, she then turns to look at her father, and walks back to him. "Bruce Wayne, this is the CFO of Mackenzie Industries, but most important my pride and joy...my daughter."

_The Bruce Wayne_. _He's more handsome then people let on._

"Nice to meet you Mr. Wayne." She shakes his hand.

"My pleasure Ms. Mackenzie. My CFO has told me that you are quite the spitfire."

"I do my best." She turns to father. "Sorry for the abrupt departure, but it seems I have to pick out a gown for tomorrow's Black-Tie Event."

"You're going?" Bruce asked inquisitively.

"Umm...mmm" She kisses her father on the cheek. "Bye Daddy, bye Mr. Wayne." She walks out of the office, and left the men standing there.

"Ready for business Mr. Wayne?"

"As ever."

* * *

The next night at the Mackenzie Estate, Mac was standing in front of the mirror smoothing over her satin turquoise sleeveless gown that accentuates her curvaceous figure. The gown fell down to her ankles, and had a split in front of the left leg and came up to center of the thigh. She runs her hand over the white gold necklace with a turquoise stone pendent, that were an exact match to her eyes. Her reddish-brown hair that were natural with soft waves, was blown out straight and pulled back into a very neat ponytail. Light makeup and her warm olive skin made her glow all over. She puts on her matching earrings, and heads over to the bed to put on her pointed toed ankle strap 4" stiletto that matched her gown. 

The door to her bedroom opens and Niles came in. Finishing with the last foot Mac stands and brushes herself over again. "You look absolutely beautiful. Too bad that you are not the one being auctioned off.

"Bite your tongue Niles..." She picks up her purse and sash that goes with her gown. "...Hell will have to freeze first before I go on stage, and auction myself off." Niles chuckle.

"You never cease to amaze Ms. Mackenzie." She walks up to him and link her arm with his.

"And what, make you live a life of total boredom? I would never." They head down the stairs, and when they reach the landing she looks around. "Is dad ready?"

"He has visitors."

"What is up with all these phone calls and now visitors." At that moment, two men were walking down the hall, and walks pass the stairs. One looks at Mac and gives her a wink. "Niles, do you know them?"

"I'm afraid not my dear." Then her father come into the large foyer.

"Dad, I didn't know that you had visitors. It's not like you to not introduce." Her father was zoned out. "DAD!" He snaps his head at her suddenly.

"What is it Precious?"

"Are you alright dad?" She walks to him and straightens out his tie.

"Hey, I'm good. You look beautiful by the way." She smiles at him.

"And you don't look bad yourself old man."

"I'll let Johnson know that you're ready."

"Thank you Niles." He looks to his daughter. "Are you ready?"

"No"

* * *

The Gotham Hyatt Hotel was festive with the creme de la creme of Gotham, and Mac hated every minute of this. Arriving here, her and her father were hounded by reporters and their cameras, and inside was worse everyone wants to talk to you because you happened to be a billionaire. My mistake, a billionaire's daughter. 

Mac was standing there with a an empty champagne glass, and was afraid to get another because someone was bound to stop her and try to create a conversation. _Someone take me out of my misery. _She turns around to see her father approaching her.

"Can I go home now?" She begged.

"No"

"Why not?"

"Because you haven't been fifteen minutes, and you'd already went heading into a corner."

Totally ignoring her father, she push the glass in his face. "Can you get me another champagne?"

'The bar is across the room." She growls at him. "You can catch a tantrum all you want, but you acting like this will make people know that Mac Mackenzie is not a woman of her word. "

"That was a low blow." She steps pass him and heads into the crowd of sharks.

"You need this exposure my dear."

Mac was heading over to the bar and people were breaking their necks to say hello to her. Reaching the bar that was packed with people and sees the other liquors, she realizes she wanted something stronger. Finally getting to the bartender, "Can I have the strongest drink you have please?"

"Bad night already?" She heard the voice behind her, ad slowly turns around.

"Mr. Wayne."

"McKenna Mackenzie."

"Actually its McKenna-Jasmine, but please call me Mac."

"As long as you call me Bruce." _She's absolutely beautiful. _"You look lovely this evening." She smiles at him.

"Thank you. And you quite actually is living out the playboy image."

"I do my best." He said with a smirk. "So how are you enjoying yourself so far?"

"I rather have all my teeth pull out with no medication." She said seriously. The bartender hands her the drink, and takes a swallow. She looks to the bartender with a morbid look, "How old is this bourbon?"

"Pretty old ma'am."

"How is it?' Bruce asked curiously.

"I think it melted my liver." They both laugh. She looks at him with a raise eyebrow. "You don't seem like the type that would go to an event like this, let alone an auctioned one at that."

"Really, you did you guess?"

"You're standing here talking to me." She said plainly. "I've been invited to these things since I was eighteen, and this is my first time going to these. I'm all for donating, but being dragged here to deal with these people is torture enough." Bruce burst out laughed. "What?"

"You've won. I found someone who hates this stuff worst than me."

"Well...if it isn't Mac Mackenzie. _Damn it!_" She turns her head to see one face she wish she didn't. "George Carter Jr."

"Glad you remember me, let alone my name."

"Kind of hard to. When you were the one who spread rumors that we spent a hot weekend in the Bahamas during spring break in our senior year, when I turned you down for the umpteenth time." He was flabbergasted.

"Um, you want to dance?" She looked on him like he was a complete idiot.

"You need to take that um, do you want to dance and shove it up..." Bruce takes her hand and pulls her into the other direction...which happens to be the dance floor. Bruce takes her into his arms as they start to sway to the music. "Why did you do that?" They were practically eye to eye. Bruce being 6'2" and Mac 5'8" and with the stilettoes 6'0". Continuing to move with the music, his right hand on the small of her back, and holding her hand firmly in his.

"Because you were about to make a scene." She looks at him with her mouth agape. He smirked at her antics.

"I don't make scenes Mr. Wayne. I just make little odd situations." She said with a straight face.

"Well guessing your temperament, you never have a dull moment."

"May I cut in?" Mac turns around to see her father with a smile on his face.

"Hi daddy."

"I see that Bruce is keeping you company." Bruce nods to the older man.

"He's helping me to find a way to break out of this joint." She smiles when she heard a snicker coming from behind her.

_Ladies and Gentlemen, _everyone looks to the stage to see Shelby Jackson on the mic. _Welcome_ _to the 3rd annual auction Black-Tie event. _Applauds. _Well, this year it is going to be a little bit different...for this year it's the bachelorettes turn._

_Oh No._


End file.
